


The Loss of a Father

by ThebSayraduka



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: AU Story, Abbie learns of Jesse's death, After Jesse was declared dead, Based off Gunnslaughter's comic, Father & daughter moments, Hanamura, Hanzo delivers the news, M/M, Santa Fe, Scattering ashes, So rusty with fanfics!, idk how to tag so
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-13
Updated: 2016-11-13
Packaged: 2018-08-30 16:29:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,616
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8540278
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThebSayraduka/pseuds/ThebSayraduka
Summary: Based on the AU story that Gunnslaughter made in their comic as of late. Gunn gave me permission to do this so I’m giving my hand at fanfics again even if I am under a lot of stress right now =w= If anyone wants to draw this out, help yourself >v< You go right ahead, just give credit where credit is due. This fanfic basically has my OC Abbie & Hanzo giving the news of Jesse’s death & the aftermath. There is also mention of my other Overwatch OC Megumi, Hanzo’s little sister and very small mentions of Anna-Belle, Tabitha, and Kyou that’re other OCs. Plot-wise I’m starting it off a bit light (including a bit of a backstory) then getting to the heavy feels-y stuff then some sweet near the end becAUSE I’M A LITTLE SHITE LIKE THAT X’D Expect a crying Tot people ;x; (On a little note: NGL but TBH I always imagined Abbie’s crying to sound a lot like tiny Nel Tu’s crying from Bleach) Once you’re done reading this MASSIVE fanfic PLEASE give it a Fav & comment your input about this ok? I’m REALLY proud of how this turned out. NOW!! Grab the tissues. Even I cried making this ;w;





	

It had felt like hours since Jesse’s life support was stopped and his heart ceased to beat. It had only been about 45 minutes but time seemed to have stretched, if not stopped, for Hanzo since it happened. He was just grateful that Jesse’s daughter, Abbie, wasn’t there when Jesse went cold. He didn’t think he’d be able to handle his own grief as well as Abbie’s from her sobbing. From his experience with his sister, Megumi, when small girls Abbie’s age start crying, it can be loud and can last for long periods of time. Hanzo knows that when he tells Abbie the news of her father’s death, he’s going to have to prepare himself for a very heartbroken little girl. Hanzo knew she understood the concept of death, even feared it a bit, but he didn’t know how she’d be able to handle this. She had lost her mother the day she was born, then her aunt when she was eight, and now her father not even a year later. She has no family left, only Overwatch and Hanzo.

Hanzo had learned about Abbie from Jesse early on in their relationship, only seeing a picture of her from back when she was five, remembering Jesse saying she was “cute as a button” and he couldn’t deny it. Jesse’s daughter was precious, even looked just like him, despite a few altered features: big and bright teal-blue eyes that clashed against her red-brown hair that had Jesse’s stubborn curls. Even a few freckles here & there but none that were clearly noticeable, like Jesse’s.

Jesse told Hanzo that after he left the Blackwatch division & Overwatch fell apart, he ran into his past girlfriend from his Deadlock days. Tabitha was her name, and they reignited their old flame, keeping it going for a while before he was forced to go on the run. He didn’t even find out he got Tabitha pregnant or Abigail being born until Jesse’s younger sister, Anna-Belle, had told him when he traveled through Santa Fe almost two years later. Tabitha had died from childbirth complications but Abigail was born strong & healthy and left in Anna-Belle’s care while Jesse was on the run. Jesse first met Abbie when she was eight months old and he never felt happier than when he held his daughter in his arms. Jesse stayed until her first birthday; said he hoped it’d make up for the fact that he wasn’t there when she was born so he hoped that visiting her on her birthday & the remaining holidays would make up the difference a bit.

Hanzo eventually met her in person when she was seven after a mission in Santa Fe taking care of an omnic outbreak. Hanzo wouldn’t say it up-front (or aloud around teammates for that matter), but after seeing her, he couldn’t help but think to himself that she was the most precious girl he had seen in a very long time and he wanted to help Jesse keep her safe. He even witnessed some bonding moments between Jesse and Abbie: them playing rough, riding on horseback, Hanzo even heard Jesse singing to her sleep when they thought they were alone. As well as one incident involving when Abbie got a hold of Jesse’s Peacekeeper and afterward Jesse had to teach her about gun control and safety. 

Tragedy struck some time after that mission and Jesse’s sister was killed by a few thugs from Deadlock. It happened a few months after Abbie turned eight and after the New Year and it was arranged by court officials that she was to be taken to live with her grandparents in Houston. But Jesse demanded that he wasn’t about to let them take her, not while he was still alive. If Abbie went to live with her grandparents, they’d never let him see her. He was going to fight for his daughter, and Hanzo admired that, even felt a bit jealous but supported Jesse through it. So after some rough debates between the team, they all eventually managed to let Abbie stay with them and live within Overwatch, just as Pharah had in her youth. Hanzo eventually became a second father to Abbie once she warmed up to him.

But for all the time they spent together, he never once called her ‘Abbie’, he always called her by her name 'Abigail’. Figured it rolled better on his tongue. He had remembered a promise he made with Jesse when they talked about Abbie after moving her into Overwatch with them at the Gibraltar base. The promise they made was about her: If anything should happen to Jesse, that Hanzo would continue to look after Abbie as if she were his own.

It hurt to hear Jesse make such a request. He knew how much of a tough gunslinger Jesse was and it was evident in Abbie just how strong the toughness was in their blood. Their stubbornness even showed how strong they were. He hesitated, but made the vow with Jesse anyways, praying very hard that it would never come to it. Hanzo always imagined that Jesse would just be scraped up just enough to put him under medical leave for a short time, all while he would be itching to get back into the field again, growing more impatient and eager as time passed. It had happened before, so he expected as much. He expected Jesse to be a tough survivor. Not this, not Jesse’s death.

He eventually forced himself to leave the room, body stiff & aching from laying next to Jesse for so long, but he knew he couldn’t delay any longer. They all hadn’t allowed Abbie to see Jesse, but they had told her that he was resting they just didn’t know when he’d wake up. It hurt to lie to a little girl, and they all knew they were just delaying the inevitable. Stepping out the room, he informed Lucio in the hall that he would bring Abbie her to say goodbye to her father one last time. Lucio gave a light nod, acknowledging Hanzo’s request. Lucio spent time with Abbie when he wasn’t busy with Overwatch business, enjoying her company, working on music together, and even teaching her how to skate. He also knew how close she was with Jesse so he knew why Hanzo would want to bring Abbie by. Lucio just didn’t wanna be there when he hears Abbie crying for Jesse. He didn’t think his heart would be able to take it. He’s encountered it plenty of times in Rio de Janeiro, seeing children mourning for their lost parents during the whole situation with omnic crisis and Vishkar. Lucio thought he would’ve grown past it, or at least strengthened himself to it, but there’s just something about a little girl’s sobs that just breaks his heart.

Hanzo hated what he would have to do next, but he knew it had to happen. No one likes telling a child that they’re last living parent had passed away. That they’ve just become an orphan. He knew she had only known Jesse for a lifetime but it felt like much shorter since he was on the run so much before the Overwatch recall. He remembered hearing from Jesse once that he could only visit Abbie around her birthday which was in early November, and he stayed until New Year’s which is when he had to be on the move again. Jesse had said it was to keep her safe from the bounty he had on his head, but Hanzo knew it hurt Jesse to stay away from his daughter for so long. Hanzo made his way down the halls feeling like they were getting colder & closing in on him, as if they were about to swallow him whole if the pain hadn’t already.

His feet eventually reached the cafeteria/dining room area, where many of the agents were, mainly spotting Genji, Mercy, and Zenyatta. They all spotted him & the tension had built in the room to where you could cut through it with a blade. Ana was looking after Abbie during the whole thing with Jesse, and Hanzo spotted Abbie with Ana at a table enjoying a hot drink together, most likely tea. He saw her sporting the light green & brown plaid gown with a small pocket in the front with her white open-toed sandals strapped around her feet. Must’ve had an unsure morning, she always wore that gown when she felt uneasy about something. Must’ve been an instinct if she had any… Ana heard Hanzo’s steps as he approached, and when she turned her head to face him, so did Abbie. It hurt Hanzo. It hurt him deeper than before. Oh, how it hurt to see Abbie’s big blue eyes. He knew the light in her eyes would be drowned in tears when she hears the news.

As Hanzo sat down with them, he could hear everything around him & even heard a few people leaving, probably from them knowing what was going to happen. He couldn’t blame them. No one would want their heart broken from hearing a little girl sobbing for her loss. From what he could catch from his peripheral & his hearing, Genji and Zenyatta had stayed. He can even hear Reinhardt’s thick breaths, even if they had seemed a bit shaken from what was to happen. He knew what was going to happen. They all did. Taking a deep breath, Hanzo readied himself as Abbie turned in her spot facing him.

His head & eyes jerked up some when she heard her tiny voice & light drawl speak up to him, “Hanzo, why do you look so tired? Are you ok?” He could tell she was worried. She had grown to care for him and it was expected. He just lightly grabbed her small hands in his, feeling a sharp contrast in temperatures. His hands were far colder than hers, which were much warmer, either from the tea or from her own body warmth. Taking another deep breath, he looked into Abbie’s eyes and spoke softly, his voice seeming to break a bit, “Abigail.. You know how your father has been in the medical bay, yes?” He spotted Abbie’s nods, making her curls bounce lightly, all while her eyes never left Hanzo.

It made him more nervous, how her gaze was so strong on him, but he had to continue. “Well, Abigail.. Your father, Jesse, has been resting there for a long time now due to a serious injury he sustained on the last mission he was on. And….” Hanzo had to take a deep breath before continuing, his voice wavering a bit, “And he had not been getting any better. He would not wake up.. Just a short while ago, Abigail..” The tension was thicker than before, Hanzo could feel his insides curling up tight if not growing cold and his heart and stomach were both crawling up into his throat. He looked down at Abbie and found her looking up at him confused, he felt constricted and wanted to continue but heard her speak up, “What do ya mean daddy hasn’t been gettin’ better? Was he really that tired?”

Hanzo felt his eyes sting lightly, he knew tears were going to occur. He had to tell her now. “It’s not that Abigail,” he started, a visible shift in his voice showing distress, “Jesse had not woken up because his wound was simply too severe. He survived thanks to Mercy but.. He just simply would not wake, despite our efforts.” He felt a light tug on his hands, as if Abbie wanted to pull free, but his grip on her tiny hands would not falter. He made sure she stayed in place and even Ana helped from behind as she gently laid her hands on Abbie’s shoulders. Abbie looked back at Ana looking confused but all Ana did was look to Hanzo then back to Abbie, redirecting her attention. Abbie looked to see Hanzo looking more distressed from before.

Abbie was feeling scared, confused, & worried about everything, and if it was visible, everyone couldn’t blame her. She wasn’t being given direct answers about Jesse, and she wanted them now. Evening his breath, Hanzo finally took in a deep breath, letting it out while looking into her eyes, “He had to be put on life support from how severe his injuries were, Abigail. And just a short while ago, it was turned off. Jesse is.. Your father is not waking up.” His voice cracked as he felt the tears in his eyes start to swell, “Jesse is dead, Abigail. I am so sorry.”

There was a tense moment of silence, Abbie not moving from her place, her expression frozen for a moment as if processing everything Hanzo had just said. He could feel the strength fading in her hands, he knew she understood, she was just in shock. He knew she had grown close to her father after a long time apart and didn’t want to lose him so soon, but fate was just too cruel to her. He bit his lip, unsure of what to say, and waiting for Abbie to start crying but when she opened her mouth to speak, no words escaped. Just unsure sounds, trying to find the words but nothing would show up. It wasn’t until Hanzo let go of her hands to check on her when a choked sound slipped from her throat. Her choked sounds eventually turned into light whines and Hanzo noticed the tears starting to fill her eyes as she formed words in a broken voice, “What.. How is… Daddy’s.. What do you mean daddy’s dead? How did he… Daddy’s a strong man. He-He said so himself. Nothin’ can keep him down.. H-He should be alright.. He needs to wake up soon.. Daddy has to wake up. He has to…”

No one dared move for fear of making things worse, but it eventually happened on its own. Abbie’s tears grew thick in her eyes before falling hard & fast and eventually her face curled into an expression of pain & sorrow before loud, crushing sobs rang out throughout the dining hall. Hanzo’s tears fell once again and no one in that dining hall had dry eyes, not even Genji. He had to remove his mask to wipe his own eyes clear, but the tears continued to fall lightly. Even though Zenyatta could not shed tears, he had still lowered his head in respect, as if offering a silent prayer and condolences for Abbie’s loss. Abbie just kept sobbing as Ana’s grip tightened a bit on her shoulders. Ana knew Abbie was in distress, but Abbie was not her child to comfort so she looked up at Hanzo to make up the difference. He needed to do something to give at least some reassurance in her moment of need. Hanzo seemed to have read the message her eye had given, but when he reached down to hold Abbie close, Abbie’s flooded eyes clenched shut & she started to fight with fists curled tight bashing against his shoulders and chest while still sobbing loud. She had to lash out, he knew this, but he saw it was unfair for her to lash out at him when he just wants to comfort her.

He just let her continue her sob-filled assault for a moment before trying again, this time managing to snake his arms underneath her arms and pulled her close, but her assault didn’t waver the slightest. It was rare to see Hanzo try to give comfort to someone who needed it most, but any judgement on it was overlooked because it was required for a child who desperately it. He just held her close, hoping at least his presence would calm her some, but her violent lashing out against him would not cease. After a few moments of bearing her hits, Hanzo could feel her growing tired as her strength wavered in her hits until she eventually went limp, curling up in his arms burying her face into his shoulder sobbing & whining lightly and her tears soaking into his kyudo-gi. When he was sure her fighting had settled, he readjusted to where his tattooed arm was underneath her bottom hoisting her up closer and his other hand started to rub lightly on her back, up & down at first then in light circles. He eventually rubbed up to her neck & head rubbing lightly with his thumb against her temple, as he had seen Jesse do with her.

No one said a word in the cafeteria even after everyone had dried their eyes, Reinhardt was still struggling to do so and Ana had walked out with him to give them space. Genji wanted to give assurance to his brother, but he knew that Hanzo needed to talk with Abbie alone, so he led Zenyatta out of the dining hall to their own place to meditate. Hanzo could hear them and a few others starting to leave. He didn’t want anyone to force themselves to leave on their behalf so he stood up with Abbie holding her close against his form & carried her as he walked out of the dining hall and into the dark hallways of the Watchpoint base. He eventually found his way outside and walked the familiar path leading to his & Jesse’s spot underneath the wild olive tree. It was a much more comfortable place to talk in private.

He sat down carefully while holding Abbie close against his chest, getting himself positioned cross-legged so she could sit when she wanted to. He wouldn’t let his hold on her go in the slightest for fear of setting her off into another fit of swinging fists. At this point, he could hear her settled into light sniffles showing her sobbing had ceased. After a tense moment of silence, he lightly nudged his head against Abbie’s, trying to get her attention. He could only hear a light whine slip out, showing she acknowledged him, but wouldn’t look up. She probably didn’t feel like looking at him and he couldn’t blame her; she was most likely drained from her outburst earlier and didn’t want to move from her spot curled against him. He wanted to look her in the eye while he talked to her, but so long as she could hear him, he could talk to her as she was.

Holding her close, Hanzo started to speak softly, his voice a bit clearer than before, “Abigail, I know how you feel. You might feel that this all must seem unfair to you. I felt that way before when I was young as well, when my siblings and I lost our mother first, then our father. I believe it is unfair for you. You did not deserve to lose Jesse so soon. You already lost so much of your family and the thought of losing Jesse would be too much for you.” He had to pause a bit, catching his breath as well as checking down at Abbie to see her reaction but only saw her unmoved from her ball against his torso, face in his shoulder.

Taking another deep breath, Hanzo continued, “Jesse spoke a lot about you when he and I were first together. He loved you so very much and spoke sweetly of you. You were ‘as cute as a button’ as he said” giving a light pause to feel a short laugh slip past his throat, “When he showed me your picture, I believed he was right. I still do, Abigail. You were very precious to Jesse, even if he was not often there when you wanted him to be. He only wanted to keep you safe from his own dangers.”

It was at this moment when he looked down at Abbie and saw her peeking one of her teal-blue orbs up at him, looking a bit puffy & red from all the crying she had done earlier, but it showed that he had her attention. “Jesse tried his hardest to see you, to be the best father he wanted to be for you, but he had his own struggles. He could only hope that you understood. Do you understand about his struggles, Abigail” Hanzo asked and waiting a moment before seeing her nod lightly against his shoulder before she adjusted, seeing both eyes looking up at him while she still rested her head against Hanzo.

He carefully adjusted her, removing his inked arm from underneath her to rest her on his propped up leg, keeping her head on his shoulder, but with his arms wrapped loosely around her to keep her close. He felt her adjust slightly, feeling a tiny grip on the chest of his kyudo-gi and noticed Abbie’s grip on him. It was tight, as if he were a lifeline. She didn’t want to be apart from him. He was her anchor in her moment of need, and it was something that Hanzo wasn’t able to do for a very long time. At least not since he, Genji, and Megumi were in mourning for their mother when she passed.

Hanzo kept his arms loose around her but still kept her close as he continued, “Your father had me make a promise to him months before any of this happened. It was shortly after we brought you here to Gibraltar. He had me promise to take care of you as my own if anything should happen to him.” Hanzo felt his chest ache remembering on that night but he continued, not noticing Abbie had lifted her head & looked up at him in surprise, “I could sense that he would not make that kind of promise with just anyone if he did not truly trust them. He was trusting me with you, his only daughter, to be in my care if anything bad happened to him. It hurt me to, but I made that promise with him. You cannot imagine how hard I prayed that anything of the sort would not happen. Not that I would not mind caring for you as my own. Jesse is your father, Abigail.

“I know I could never fill his place like you want, but I would hope you can at least let me try to be like a surrogate father to you. At times, I fear that my guidance would not be enough for you. I also fear at times that I am unfit to raise you, since I am at battle with my own demons, and my struggle would just worry you more than ever. But I do not go back on my promises, Abigail, and I swore to keep my promise to Jesse to take care of you as my own daughter. It will be hard but I swear by you that I will-,” before Hanzo could finish, he felt a light nudge of force against him making his whole form move slightly & he looked down to see Abbie had clung onto him again with her thin arms attempting to wrap around his chest and her forehead on the curve of his shoulder. He could spot her eyes were open and they were tearing up again. Hanzo could tell she was distressed but he couldn’t help but wonder and worry if he said something wrong to upset her again.

After a worrying moment, he heard Abbie speak up with her thin voice wavering, “You said daddy wouldn’t make that promise with just anybody. Daddy loved you a lot, I could tell. Just like how he loved me a lot. Daddy always told me he had a big heart, it was just hard to open it up to the right people because of the wrong people in his past. He must’ve opened it all up to you if he saw something special in you, Hanzo. We may be from other sides of the world, but that doesn’t make any difference. Daddy always told me that just because we ain’t of the same blood, that doesn’t mean we can’t be family. Family is defined by love and by actions. If you care enough for somebody, then that makes you a friend, but if you care even more for someone then you’re family. Daddy cared way more than that to call you family. He loved you lots & lots. If he thinks you can be a daddy to me, then he can’t be wrong.” Hanzo was astonished to hear such words from Abbie, it was if she was showing a much more wiser, intuitive side to her.

Hanzo couldn’t help but tighten his arms lightly around her pulling her closer in a careful embrace. He couldn’t begin to explain how much her words were giving him reassurance & comfort when he was wallowing in his own worries and self-doubt when _she_ was the one who needed the comfort most. Her words- No, her wisdom was refreshing to hear. She learned all that from Jesse, and it showed she was attentive with everything around her. Maybe even with the smallest details, like Jesse was. He couldn’t begin to imagine what all she’s learned since living with them in Gibraltar. Upon realizing it, he could tell she truly was her father’s daughter. He could feel a weight being lifted from his shoulders as he took a deep breath, the ache fading from his chest  & feeling better from Abbie’s words. He felt much more relaxed, but was brought to attention when Abbie pulled back from the embrace to wipe her eyes.

When she was finished drying her eyes, what she said next left him stunned, “What’s the word for ‘daddy’ where you’re from?” Hanzo was beyond surprised. He didn’t think she’d ask so soon, but maybe it was some sort of sign. He would figure that out later but he had to answer, and so he did, “We say ‘ _otou-san_ ’ in Japan when we address our fathers.” Abbie nodded lightly & for the next moment or so he could only watch & listen as she tried to piece the word together, trying to make it comfortable enough to say with her own light drawl she learned from her family. He could tell she was uncomfortable with it, but in time she’d learn to like it and use it properly.

Seeing her getting a bit winded from practice, he let out a weak, breathy laugh and softly patted her shoulder, stopping her before speaking softly, “It will take time and practice, but I am sure you will get it, Abigail.” She gave another light nod before adjusting on his lap, lightly resting her head on his shoulder and her tiny hands on her own lap. She looked like she was in thought as she lightly kicked her feet, tapping the toes of her sandals together, so Hanzo didn’t say a word while she explored her thoughts and he kept his arms loose around her, keeping her up. They just sat in a somewhat uncomfortable silence underneath the leaning wild olive tree as the sun was starting to set. Must’ve been about half an hour before Abbie finally spoke up, sounding like she had gained something - might’ve been courage, might’ve been confidence - but she spoke clearly and determined.

Lifting her head up, she took a deep breath and said, “I wanna see daddy. At least before Overwatch buries him.” Hanzo’s eyes widened lightly hearing her sudden declaration but his expression softened some hearing her words and nodded, speaking softly, “Then I will take you to Jesse if you wish.” Abbie’s nod was the only response he got before she stood up fixing her gown, letting Hanzo stand up as well. All he did was brush his kyudo-gi and hakama clean of dirt & debris before he turned to her checking on her and saw she was ready. Hanzo motioned her forward before they started walking toward the base. He certainly didn’t expect her hand wrapping around his calloused fingers as they walked, but enjoyed it as they stepped inside the steel walls of the Watchpoint base.

As they walked toward and inside the base he kept a light grip on her hand gripped around his fingers. Traversing the dark familiar halls, they soon reached the medical bay and spotted Angela talking with Lucio in the hall outside Jesse’s room. They both turned at attention when they heard the two coming and Hanzo could see they both looked surprised, seeing him walking hand in hand with Abbie. They knew it was a new sight, but Hanzo didn’t seem to care at the moment. When they reached the door, Hanzo gave a light nod to Lucio before the two medics stepped aside letting them in the room. Angela had told Lucio that Abbie had cried hard for Jesse in the dining hall so he should expect very little from her this time. Hearing that, Lucio thought he could be brave enough to stick around this time. At least to hear what they had to say with Abbie’s last interactions with her father.

It was eerily still and quiet as they stepped inside & the door slid shut behind them. The heart monitor had been shut off a while ago so they wouldn’t have to hear the noise of the flat-line from Jesse’s stilled heart. But when they looked over, they just saw Jesse as Hanzo had left him, seeming as if he was still in peaceful slumber. Hanzo glanced down and saw Abbie looking nervous all of a sudden, as well as feeling her hand tightening around his fingers. He could tell she was scared to be there, but she wanted to be there and he granted her request. He started to slowly leading her to the bedside, spotting Jesse’s hat at his feet right where he left it earlier, and his hands were placed over his lower abdomen, over the navel. Most likely from Angela, since she was close with him.

Abbie could deny that she was scared and feeling very upset, but she knew it’d be a big, fat lie. She wanted to see her dad before Overwatch decided to give him a proper burial. To be honest, in this moment, she couldn’t really feel all that upset, seeing Jesse lying in bed, looking like he was just asleep. Asleep. That’s all she could see. He was still asleep, but his chest wasn’t moving from deep breaths. No, it was still from life that was no longer there. She knew he would’ve gone cold by now, she experienced it with her aunt when she died from the Deadlock gang. But this was her father. He was - by blood - much closer to her than her aunt ever was.

Even though she was wise on her advice earlier about family, she didn’t want anything to ruin anything she had with Jesse. She acknowledged that he was her father a long time ago, and even when her aunt Anna-Belle was trying to ruin it for them out of spite, Abbie still loved & appreciated that Jesse tried so hard to be the father she wanted and needed. She really grew close with him after his Overwatch mission in Santa Fe & she never wanted anything they had together to end. But, that might’ve been wishful thinking here.

As they approached Jesse’s bedside more, she saw that some of the color had faded from his skin, seeming a bit paler than before. But she wouldn’t be deterred, she had something to say to Jesse and she wanted to get it over with. She could hear Hanzo talking softly to Jesse, saying that he brought her to let her talk with him one last time. That’s exactly what she wanted to do, so with that she mustered up her courage, let go of Hanzo’s hand, & approached Jesse’s body a bit more.

When she got to where she could sit on the bed with him, Hanzo just stood and watched in silence as she started to play with his hair lightly, moving Jesse’s bangs from his face. She wanted to see more of his features before he would be put in the ground forever. Even in death, he still had some of his chiseled features she had come to love in the short amount of time she had with him. She even played a bit at the thick bristles of facial hair on his jawline & chin, feeling the strokes & pricks of the thick hair as she brushed her fingers through it. She always said he reminded her of a wolf with his grisliness, and Jesse was always more than willing to tickle her on her face & neck with his beard, which she always enjoyed.

After a moment of thick silence and playing with Jesse’s hair, she had curled her hand into a light fist & lightly bopped her knuckles against his forehead. Hanzo recognized this gesture. Jesse used it on her when he was trying to get her attention and it always worked. Maybe she was trying to use it on him to make sure some part of him was paying attention. Hopefully, at least his spirit would be listening. That was when she started to talk, her voice trying to sound sturdy but cracked a few times, “Daddy, you.. I wanna say you’re a jerk for leaving so soon. You’re always sayin’ you’re a strong man, that nothin’ could keep you down. Not even the fires of Hell could keep you from us. But, here you are, daddy. Gone. You lied to me, daddy, and it hurts when you lie. You always said to never tell a lie. That it was bad to lie, but you did anyways.”

Her scolding was interrupted with a light sniffle. Hanzo could hear she was about to cry, but not just yet. “I’m sorry, daddy. I’m just gonna miss you, now that you’re gone. I already lost Aunt Anna-Belle. You told me that momma died with I was a baby and now that you’re gone… I guess that makes me an orphan. I learned what that word was from school. It’s sad being an orphan like Oliver Twist in those ol’ storybooks,” Abbie said, feeling her tears stinging, threatening to fall again, “But, Hanzo took me to your spot outside to talk with me. He told me about a promise you two made.

“If you really mean it that you want Hanzo to take care of me now that you’re gone, I’m not gonna be mean about it, daddy. I’ve always been a good girl for you, and I’m not gonna stop now,” her voice now visibly starting to break, “I promise to keep being a good girl for you, daddy. I won’t be bad for Hanzo, I promise, because he’s my new daddy now. Just like how you had him promise to be.” Hearing those words, Hanzo’s dam had broke once again, and tears started to fall. Even Lucio outside the door had started to tremble and tear up from hearing Abbie make her promises to Jesse.

Abbie lightly hugged Jesse around his neck, softly nuzzling her head against his one last time. She knew she wouldn’t feel his embrace, but hoped at least his spirit was holding her close. Her voice was strained as she tried to make out words, light tears falling once again, “Overwatch is my home now, daddy. I’m not gonna be a boring farm-girl with gramma & grampa in Houston. I’m never gonna be boring. It’ll be hard and I’ll get hurt plenty of times, daddy, but you always did say that pain was just weakness leavin’ the body. I’ll be a gunslinger like you when I’m older, daddy, and make you proud that I’m helpin’ Overwatch.

“All that is a promise, daddy, and like you, I always keep my promises,” Abbie said before pulling her head back and lightly laid her forehead against Jesse’s as her eyelids slid closed, small tears falling on his cheeks, “It’ll be hard for me and Hanzo, but we’ll try very hard to make you proud, just for you. You’ll be watching from wherever you are, and you’ll be havin’ that big smile o’ yours and laughin’ while sayin’ ‘That’s my girl!’ just like before for me. And for Hanzo, you’ll love him more than ever for being strong for us. We’ll try hard to make you proud every day, daddy.” After whispering an ‘I love you’ Abbie softly planted one last kiss on Jesse’s forehead before climbing off the bed.

When Abbie looked back at Hanzo, she could see him with a light smile and heavy tears trailing down his cheeks. They couldn’t see him, but Lucio had broken into quiet sobs in the hall after hearing everything. He had to sit down and he covered his mouth to make sure he wasn’t heard while Abbie was talking. From everything he’d been through, he could say that Abbie was by far the strongest nine-year-old he’s had the pleasure of befriending. Hanzo walked over placing another last kiss on Jesse’s forehead before gently picking up Abbie holding her close and softly rubbed her back as she tried to wipe his eyes dry.

“That was very sincere of you, Abigail,” Hanzo said with a near-cracked tone, “Jesse would be very proud of you for all you’ve said, just as I am. I know he will be watching over us. So let us try to make him proud every day like you said, yes?” With that, Abbie had a light smile & nod before lightly hugging Hanzo around his neck, which Hanzo lightly returned with his hand on her back pulling her closer. They both didn’t say anything about it, but in that moment they both felt a shroud of warmth covering them both. It was as if Jesse’s spirit was embracing them both.

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A few weeks had gone by since Jesse had been cremated, the wake done beforehand, and his ashes placed into a steel urn decorated with Navajo patterns around it. Jesse had told Abbie stories of how there was Navajo somewhere in their bloodline, they just never found out where. So regardless, they had the urn made just for him that way. Abbie even had her necklace - a bullet that Jesse had given her for her seventh birthday - hollowed out and had some of his ashes placed inside before it was heat-sealed tight with the letters **B-A-M-F** engraved into it, similarly to Jesse’s belt buckle. They even had his mechanical arm, Peacekeeper, and hat placed on a stand which now rested in Hanzo’s room. Over time, Abbie had even gotten used to a new name that Hanzo had given her, ‘ _musume_ ’ which he told her meant ‘daughter’ in his language, although she still hadn’t gotten used to calling Hanzo ‘ _otou-san_ ’.

Abbie had even started training with the Overwatch crew, learning how to properly handle guns from anyone who wielded one, such as Lucio with his amplifier, Tracer with her twin pistols, and, Ana with her rifles. Abbie had even took up physical training from anyone who was available like Zarya, Pharah, even Winston. Some lessons were easy, some were tricky but she was proving to be a fast learner. In their spare time, Genji and Hanzo even started to help strengthen her up with some martial arts, although Genji had promised no ninjutsu, much to Hanzo’s relief. Training their sister, Megumi, in all that was enough work for him. Hanzo didn’t think he’d be able to teach another young lady, much less one who wanted to be a gunslinger, how to also fight like a ninja.

Between the training with their free time, Abbie and Hanzo would talk about what to do with Jesse’s ashes. She didn’t want his urn to gather dust on a shelf, and Hanzo thought that was an appropriate answer. He thought it would be rude to let his essence just sit by while they were off doing whatever they held in store for the day. Jesse would’ve wanted to witness everything, even if it was in spirit, so they thought it’d be nice to scatter his ashes somewhere appropriate, but where? His birth-home of Santa Fe was too far away and they didn’t want to announce themselves with an Overwatch aircraft just for personal reasons.

After several days of thinking it through - often with Abbie holding the urn and talking to it as if she were talking directly to Jesse - they came up with a solution. Hanzo and Abbie agreed that they would scatter his ashes partly at the wild olive tree and the rest in Santa Fe when they were in the area again. The next time Hanzo was available, he and Abbie went to the wild olive tree not far from the Watchpoint base. She was hesitant at first, mainly because she was scared she’d drop the urn, but Hanzo was there to help her through the thick of it.

Together, they carefully scattered Jesse’s ashes to the winds there, seeing the thick grey disperse into the open air. It stung for them both, but they knew it was a new step forward. One place down, one more left. Several weeks later, they went back to Santa Fe on a mission Hanzo was assigned to with a team, & Abbie had tagged along so long as she helped out some and didn’t get in the way much. When the current mission came to an end, their new mission began. Hanzo and Abbie traveled to where the old family ranch once was after getting a horse to loan and rode along the hills until they found the highest peak of the land. There they sent off the remainder of Jesse’s ashes to the winds, leaving them with an empty urn and each other.

All that left their lips were ‘Wait for me’ and ‘Watch over us’ as they watched the last of Jesse’s remains disappear into the open air. They stayed at that peak a while longer, Abbie having brought a blanket just in case, and they stayed admiring the view. Hanzo had seen all that Abbie grew up with, and it was quite the view. He was lost in the sights when he heard Abbie speak up, breaking him free, “Hanzo, what’s your home like?”

Hanzo turned to Abbie, seeing her big blue eyes watching him curiously, patiently. He had a light smile as he remembered Jesse asking him the same thing some time ago, and so he answered her just as he had for Jesse, “There is a village high up on a hill. There are cherry blossoms in the spring. I miss it dearly.” He glanced over seeing Abbie looking amazed, probably from her imagination taking hold and trying to piece together his description of his homeland. He looked back out over the sights for a while longer, catching the sound of the cork on the urn popping open before Abbie chimed in again.

“Ya know, Hanzo, there’s still a bit more left in daddy’s urn. Maybe we can see him off at your home too. I think daddy would like the view of the cherry blossoms,” Hanzo quickly turned looking at Abbie and glanced inside the urn and saw she was right. She hadn’t tilted it all the way down so there was still some left inside. As she tightened the cork back in place, he lightly petted her head making her laugh a bit as he spoke, “I’m sure Jesse would like that as well. And if I can make the arrangements just right, we’ll make it there just in time.”

‘What?’ was all that ran through Abbie’s mind, with her face dumbfounded and curious. She didn’t quite get what he meant by that. As Hanzo stood up brushing himself off, he waited until she got everything ready to go. It wasn’t until he helped her onto the saddle and he climbed up behind her when she spoke up, “What do you mean ‘just in time’?” He couldn’t help but let a small laugh slip out. “Have you forgotten already, musume? It is your birthday in seven days. If I can talk with my sister about getting us to Hanamura, we can celebrate your birthday with your father there. You get to see my homeland for your birthday.” From his angle, Abbie’s eyes couldn’t have lit up brighter, and her smile couldn’t have gotten bigger. To her, that would’ve been the best gift a ten-year-old could want.

Over the next few days, Abbie could hardly sleep (even though she had managed to somehow) and Hanzo had managed to get a hold of Megumi and make arrangements for them to travel to Hanamura on a private plane, and even Genji could come along if he wanted. Anyone who asked about in Overwatch was just told it was a private matter and that they’d be away from missions for a while. Two days before Abbie’s birthday, they had landed in Tokyo and a car had been in waiting for them to take them to the Shimada Castle where Megumi would be waiting for her family to arrive.

They were greeted warmly, even by Megumi’s lover, Kyou, and they welcomed Abbie as if she were already family. The day before Abbie’s birthday, Hanzo had arranged the day for Abbie and himself to go to a private spot of Hanzo’s he had found in his youth. They had traveled there that night when the sun had set and waited for the evening to scatter the last of Jesse’s ashes, this time, tilting the urn all the way downward so all of the ashes would flow into the wind. When the last of the ashes started to fade, Abbie could’ve sworn she heard Jesse’s voice…

_Happy birthday, baby girl._


End file.
